Method of producing antislip surfaces for bath floors



Aug. 11; 1942. c, GQRDQN 2,292,369

, CES FOR BATH FLOORS Original Filed Oct. 19, 1939 INVE R Fig. 3. F 3 5CHAR I 60200 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11,1942

METHOD OF rROnUcnvG AN'IISLIP sun FACES FOR BATH FLOORS Charles T.Gordon, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Porcelain Metals Corporation .ofLouisville, Kentucky, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of KentuckyOriginal application October 19, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and this application August 12, 1940,. Serial No. 352.260

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my earlier application Serial No.300,178 filed October 19, 1939, and entitledVitreous enamel bath floor,and the invention disclosed herein relates to the method of producingthe anti-slip floor-surface for the shower receptor disclosed in myaforesaid application. 1

The principal object of this invention is to provide a process ofapplying and firing vitreous enamel on the floor surface of a receptorso as to produce an anti-slip vitreous-surface.

Another object of thi invention is to provide a process of producing anantislip vitreous-surface having raised areas of unglazed vitreousenamelupon a glazed surface of vitreous-enamel.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process of producingan antislip vitreous-surface having a plurality of small areas coatedwith a granular material fused 'to the outer-surface of a glazedvitreous-enamel surface.

I finish-coat.

. overall coarseness of the floor-surface, it was dif- These and otherobjects will manifest themselves as the following description is read inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a planview of a receptor illustrating traction areas I3applied to a glazed vitreoussurface l4 by the method disclosed herein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of Figure 1illustrating the raised relation of the traction areas I3 relative tothe glazed vitreous-surface I4;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines-3-3 of Figure 1illustrating the amalgamation of the liquified frit or frits of theglazed coating I4 and the partially liquified frit or frits of thetraction coating l3 along a mutual margin I5.

Figure 4 is a partial plan view of a receptor illustrating a modifiedarrangement of the traction areas, which arrangement may also be madebecome an important consideration. Heretofore,

the entire surface of the floor has been made rough, somewhat like thesurface of sandpaper,-

by sprinkling dry sandinto the wet frit applied for the glazedfinish-coat. However, by reason of this depositing of the sand into awet frit, considerable care was required to avoid a glazingover of thesand when firing the frit of the glazed ficult to maintain clean andsanitary. Thus, it is the purpose of this invention to provide a processof applying and firing vitreous-enamels on the floor surface of areceptor, so as to provide an antislipping floor-surface having improvedoperating characteristics and advantages.

In the following description, the expression traction-spot is employedto designate the relatively small areas on the surface of the floor thatwill have a dull, matte or granular surface, which areas provide therequired traction or non-slip characteristics for the glazed-surface ofthe floor.

Before describing the steps of the method by which the antislipfloor-surface is produced, a short resume of the article embraced by theapplication referred to at the outset will be made.

In the accompanying drawing, the numeral l0 designates a floor of areceptor for a showerbath .cabinet, which floor has a perimetricalflange I2 projecting vertically therefrom. As

illustrated in Figure 2, the floor II! is depressed,

and has a central aperture H, which aperture provides a suitable drainoutlet for waste water. v

In Figure 1, the numeral l4 designates a glazed, vitreous-enamelsurface, which surface completely covers the floor of the receptor,except as interrupted on its exposed outersurface' by elevatedtraction-spots 13. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, thetraction areas are illustrated as having a diamond shape, and arearranged in rows extending radially outwardly from the central drain ll.

Each of the diamond-shaped traction-spots l3 are elevated relative tothe glazed, vitreousenamel surface I4, and are constructed and arrangedso that waste water will drain rapidly therefrom onto the glazed,vitreous-enamel surface l4.

Therefore, it is to be understood that the method described later indetail, maybe employed to provide any desired pattern or design for theraised traction spots. It is also emphasized that, although the methodis described as having particular reference to a receptor of ashower-bath cabinet, the method may be employed to provide a non-slipfloor surface for other bathing'appliances such asconventional bathtubs, etc.

Thus, the floor surface of bathing appliances produced in accordancewith the foregoing method are made. advantageously slip-proof ofuniformly distributing traction-spots over the glazedsurface thereof inaccordance with a predetermined plan, which traction-spots arepermanently anchored in the enamel of the glazed-surmature the firstfrit, which temperatureand time is appreciably less than that requiredto mature the second frit. Thus, the first frit is completely matured,and has a highly glazed surface, while the second frit is not maturedand has a uniform dull or matte finish.

Some latitude may be exercised in regards to the firing temperature.Therefore, if desired, the firing temperature may be higher than thatindicated in the preceding paragraph, but less than the maturingtemperature of the second frit, under which condition the frits arefired for a time sufficient only to mature completely the first fritinto a highly glazed surface, and stopped before the second frit maturesor settles appreciably into the molten body of the first frit.

Thus, it will be apparent that the invention contemplates applying thetwo frits separately, so that the unmatured second frit will remainelevated relative to the matured first frit. Accordingly, since thematu. ed first frit provides a highly glazed-surface and the unmaturedsecond frit provides a dull or matte surface, the dull or matte surfaceof the traction spots remain elevated relative to the glazed-surface.

It has been found that the frits may be more conveniently applied by thewet process. Under this arrangement, the first frit, which matures intoa glazed surface, is applied by dipping or spraying and then at leastpartially dried. The second frit is then applied upon the first frit inthe desired pattern as, for instance, by spraying through a suitablestencil. The receptor thus coated is then dried in advance of firing.

During final firing, the first frit liquifies into a completely viscousstate, and settles into a stratum somewhat reduced in thickness.Concurrently, the second frit partially liquifies. At this stage of thefiring process, the fiux of both fritsliquify and amalgamate along amutual margin designated by numeral IS, in Figure 3.

firing process, firing is complete, and the receptor is removed from thefurnace, while the second frit yet retains a dull or matte surface andremains in its relative elevated position.

Although the frits have been described as being fired simultaneously, itis also possible to apply, dry and fire the first frit before applyingthe second frit. Under this arrangement, firing for the second frit iscarried out in the manner outlined above. Under these conditions, theglazed vitreous-enamel re-liquifies under the second or final firing toprovide the required partial amalgamation of the frits as aforesaid.

It has been observed that silica, sand or the like may be employed inplace of the second frit. Under this alternative, the silica is appliedin the same manner described for the second frit, dried, and firedsimultaneously or sequentially, as outlined above in connection with thetwo frits. It must be remembered, however, that the final firingtemperature must be definitely lower than that which would liquify thesilica, and at least equal to the temperature required to mature thefirst frit.

When using silica instead of a second frit, final firing is completewhen the fillet l6 forms adjacent the junction of the surfaces of the Itwo materials, as described hereinbefore in connection with the twofrits. At this time the receptor is removed from the furnace, and itwill be observed that the surface of the areas contain-. ing the silicahave a fine granular-texture and remain elevated relative to the glazedenamelsurface.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that total area for thetraction-spots, it is prefof firing must be controlled, and the receptorIt has been observed that the excess silica, or v v or cord netting maybe employed as a stencil,

the like, of the second frit inhibits a portion of the viscous matter ofboth frits, when the final firing temperature is definitely lower thanthe temperature required to mature completely the second frit. Thisaction is probably due to surface tension and cohesive force. Althoughthe flux .of the second frit liquifies, the higher melting point of thesilica, and the difference between the coefiiicient of expansion of thetwo frits, operate to prevent the second frit from completelyamalgamating with the molten first v frit. Thus, the fired frits,although settled somewhat, mature into respectively glazed and mattesurfaces, with the matte surface remaining elevated relative to theglazed-surface.

In Figure 3, the numeral l6 illustrates a fillet that forms adjacent thejunction of the surfaces removed from the furnace as soon as the firstfrit matures and the fillet [6 forms. This is important in order thatthe traction surface provided by the second frit, or silica, remainselevated relative to the surface of the glazed vitreous-enamel.

To produce the pattern illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, it has beenobserved that a wire screen which stencil is placed directly on top ofthe first partially dried or fired frit, as described hereinbefore, andthe second frit is preferably applied by spraying.

As illustrated in Figures4 and 5, the latter arrangement provides auniform distribution of relatively small pads of the second frit orsilica, and, at the completion of the final firing, the floor'surfacehas a plurality of uniformly distributed protuberances formed by thesecond frit remaining elevated relative to the glazed coating. In thisrespect, it is to be" understood that the arrangement illustrated inFigures 4 and 5 is shown on a greatly enlarged scale.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The method of producing a non-slip vitre- Of both fri S durin fi A ige of the 15". ous-enamel surface having unglazed areas elevatedrelative to the remaining glazed area, comprising, applying to a basemember a wet coating of vitreous-enamel material having a relatively lowmaturing temperature; at least partially drying the said material;applying upon portions of the surface of the so dried material, a wetvitreous-enamel material having a maturing temperature higher than thatof the first applied material; firing the said materials at atemperature at least equal to the lowest maturing temperature but lowerthan the higher maturing temperature, to mature completely the materialhaving the lower maturing temperature; and stopping firing as soon asthe flux of the materials liquify and amalgamate at the junction of thesurfaces of the said materials.

2. The method of producing a non-slip vitreous-enamel surface havingunglazed areas elevated relative to the remaining glazed area,comprising, applying to a base member a first frit having a relativelylow maturing temperature; applying upon portions of the surface of thesaid first frit, a second frit having a relatively high maturingtemperature; firing the said frits at a temperature between the maturingtemperatures of the said frits to mature completely the said first frit;and stopping firing as soon as the flux of each of the said fritsamalgamate and form a fillet at the junction of the marginal edges ofthe elevated second frit with the surface of the first frit. v

3. The method of producing a non-slip vitreous-enamel surface havingunglazed areas elevated relative to the remaining glazed areas,comprising, applying to a base member a first frit having a relativelylow maturing temperature; applying upon portions of the surface of thesaid first frit, a second frit having a relatively high maturingtemperature and in sumcient quantity so that its surface is elevatedrelative to the surface of the first frit; firing the said frits at atemperature between the maturing temperatures of the said frits and atleast equal to the liquifying temperature of thefiux of each frit, so asto mature completely the first frit and liquify the fluxes of each frit;and stopping firing as soon as the liquified flux of the first fritamalgamates with the liquified flux of the second frit to bond theunmatured second frit upon the surface of the matured first frit in itselevated relation relative thereto.

I CHARLES T. GORDON.

